Louver type window operating means



Nov. 7, 1967 D. E. DUFRENE LOUVER TYPE WINDOW PERATING MEANS Filed Feb. :21, 196e 4 Sheets-Sheet l `unnnk IIIIIIII n. Ii

Nov- 7, 1967 D. E. DUFRENE LOUVER TYPE WINDOW OPERATING MEANS 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Feb. 2l, 1966 onczldzzfmn@ Nov. 7, 1967 D. E. Dur-*RENE 335814 LOUVER TYPE WINDOW OPERATNG MEANS 4 Filed Feb. 21, 196e 4 Sheets-Sheet 5 fm2/enf@ we naldfrene, gy M @mf ma Nov. 7, 1967 D, E. DUFRENE 3,350,814

LOUVER TYPE WINDOW OPERATING MEANS Filed Feb. 2l, 1966 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 i I I l, l| n l o5 l L i N ign.' t I I i l United States Patent O 3,350,814 LOUVER TYPE WINDOW OPERATING MEANS Donald E. Dufrene, St. Paul, Minn., assignor to Interoceanic Commodities Corporation, Minneapolis, Minn., t a corporation of Delaware Filed Feb. 21, 1966, Ser. No. 529,056 6 Claims. (Cl. 49-82) This invention relates to louver type windows and has to do with means for operating the louvers thereof.

Louver type windows are known and extensively used. Many of such windows are provided with an operating gear for opening and closing the louvers to desired extent. In many of the known windows it is necessary that the gear be turned in one direction for opening the louvers and in the opposite direction for closing them. In such windows if it is attempted to turn the gear in the wrong direction with the louvers in either of their extreme positions, fully closedfor example, and substantial force is applied, breakage or other damage to the windows is apt to occur, which is objectionable for obvious reasons. Accordingly, care is required in operating the louvers of such windows.

My invention is directed to louver operating means of comparatively simple and inexpensive construction which avoids the objections to the known louver type windows, above mentioned. To that end I provide means whereby the louvers may either be opened or closed by turning of an operating gear in either direction. Further, such means renders it possible to fully close the louvers by turning the gear in either direction and to then open them by turning the gear in the same direction a further distance of approximately one half of a revolution, and vice versa, without risk of damage to the window. The louvers may be also .adjusted to any position desired between fully closed and fully opened positions by turning of the gear to appropriate extent in the proper direction. A further object of my invention is to provide operating means effective for accelerating the opening and closing movements of the louvers relative to the movements thereof be-` tween their fully opened and fully closed positions. Further objects and advantages of my invention will appear from the detail description.

`In the drawings: FIGURE 1 is a front view, partly broken away, of a louver type of window embodying the operating means of my invention; l

FIGURE 2 is a sectional View, on an enlarged scale and partly broken away, taken substantially on line 2-2 of FIGURE l;

FIGURE 3 is a sectional View, on an enlarged scale and partly brok-en away, taken substantially on line 3 3 of FIGURE l;

FIGURE 4 is -a vertical fragmentary sectional View taken substantially on line 4-4 of FIGURE 3, with the louvers in fully closed position as in FIGURES 1 and 2;

FIGURE 5 is a sectionalview, partly broken away, taken substantially on line 5-5 of FIGURE 4;

FIGURE 6 is a sectional view, partly broken away, taken substantially on line 6-6 of FIGURE 4;

FIGURE 7 is .a view similar to FIGURE 4 but with the louvers in fully opened position;

FIGURE 8 a fragmentary front view, partly broken away and withthe side jambs of the window frame shown in section, of a louver type of window embodying a modified form of my invention; and

FIGURE 9 is a fragmentary side view of the window shownin FIGURE 8.

I have shown the window of my invention as suitably mounted in `an appropriate opening in a wall 1; of a detention building, to be referred to more fully later. The window frame comprises a top or head member 2, a bot- 3,350,814 Patented Nov. 7, 1967 torn or sill member 3 and side members or jambs 4, connecting members 2 and 3 are welded or otherwise suitably secured thereto. The frame members preferably, though not necessarily, are formed of steel or aluminum `and are of substantially channel cross section, as shown in FIG- URES 2 and 3. A plurality of louvers extend between and are Irockably mounted on the side jambs 4. Each of the louvers has an elongated rectangular frame formed of top and bottom rails 5 and 6 and side rails 7; also preferably formed of steel or aluminum and `secured together by welding or in any suitable manner. A pane of glass 8 is suitably secured and sealed in each of the louver frames in a known manner. The top rail 5 of each louver is of substantially rectangular cross section and has its front or outer flange 9 bent about a cross rod 10, which is welded or otherwise suitably secured to rail 5. The side rails 7 of the respective louvers are of generally Z-shape in cross section, as is the bottom rail 6. 'Ihe outer iiange of the top rail 5 is bent outwardly and disposed to seat upper portion of the outer ange 9 of the next adjacent louver, when the louvers .are in a fully closed position. A seal strip 11 of channel cross `section is secured to the under-face of top frame member 2. The lower portion of the outer iiange of strip 2 is inclined downwardly and outwardly at 12 so as to be in pressure contact with flange 9 of top rail 5 of the top louver when the latter is fully closed. As -shown in FIGURE 2, the top rail of each of the louvers is provided with an upwardly extending flange 13. The flange 13 of the top rail of the top louver is disposed to seat against the inner flange of seal strip 11 and the iianges 13 of the other louvers are disposed to seat against the inner flanges of the bottom rails of the next adjacent louvers, when the louvers are fully closed. A seal strip 14, also of channel cross section, is secured to the upper face of the bottom frame member or sill 3. The inner arm of strip 14 extends upwardly to a position to seat on the inner face of the inner flange of bottom rail 6a of the bottom louver when the latter is in fully closed position. The outer flange or rail 6a is not bent outwardly and is disposed to seat against the outer flange of seal strip 14 when the bottom louver is fully closed as shown in FIGURE 2. As shown in FIGURE 3, seal strips 15 are secured to the inner faces of the side ja-mbs 4. The strips 15 are so disposed that when the louvers are in fully closed position the flanges of the side rails 7 o f the louver frames or sashes seat under sealing pressure on the strips 15. The seal strips 15 preferably are also formed of steel or aluminum and provide, in conjunction with elements of the rails of the louver sashes effective seals about the louvers when the latter are fully closed. The flanges of the seal lstrips and the lianges of the rails of the louver sashes are capable of giving or yielding slightly under pressure, and are under appreciable tension when the louvers are fully closed for a purposeto be explained more fully later.

The cross bars 10 are mounted at their end of portions in bushings 18 secured in the side jambs 4 and in steel reinforcing bars 19, mounted in jambs `4 at the inner sides thereof, the bars 19 being secured at their lower ends to -a steel bar 20` secured in sill 3 of the Window frame. The louvers are thus mounted at their upper sides on the cross rods 10 for rocking or turning movement about the axes thereof; in opening and closing directions. An operating arm 21 is fixed at its outer end on one end of each of the` cross rods 10 and extends therefrom inwardly of the jamb 4. All of the arms 21 are disposed in one of.jambs 4 that is, located at one side of the win- -dow frame. Each of the arms 21 extends inwardly across an operating bar 22 and is pivoted thereto at its inner end by a stud 23 secured in bar 22. The latter bar is disposed substantially parallel with, and is spaced inwardly from, reinforcing bar 19. Washers 24 mounted about studs 23. and cotter pins inserted in studs 23 restrain arms 21 and bar 22 against relative movement away from each other. As previously noted the window of my invention is intended for use in detention buildings and the bars 19 and 20 provide effective reinforcement of the window frame guarding against distortion and removal thereof, one of the bars 19 also providing means, in conjunction with the associated side jamb 4, for mounting the bushings I8 in which the cross rods 10 are pivotally mounted.

An operating lever 23 is pivotally mounted at its outer end, by a shoulder pin 29, on a plate xed to the outer face of reinforcing bar I9. The arm 28 extends inwardly across operating bar 22 and is provided, a short distance from its inner end, with a slot 31 of substantially flattened inverted V-shape. Slot 31 receives a shouldered pin 32 fixed to operating bar 22. A link 33 is pivoted at its upper end to lever- 28 by a pin 34 adjacent the inner end of slot 31 and is pivoted at its lower end, by a pin 35, to one end of a plate 36 secured to a wor-m gear 37 diametrically thereof and in spaced relation thereto. The worm gear 37 is mounted for rotation about a horizontal axis on a bracket 38 mounted in jamb 4 and meshes with a worm 39 also rotatably mounted on bracket 38 and mounted for rotation about a horizontal axis perpendicular to the axis of worm gear 37. A crank member 40 is secured on the outer end of the shaft of worrn 39 for rotating the latter.

In FIGURE 4 the louvers are shown in fully closed position and in pressure contact with the seal strips, as above explained. The plate 36 is then disposed in substantially vertical position with the operating lever 28 raised and pin 32 adjacent the vertex of slot 31, Assuming that the gear 37 has been turned clockwise to its position shown in FIGURE 4, the louvers may be swung to fully open position by turning gear 37 clockwise one half of a revolution from its position shown in FIGURE 4 to its position shown in FIGURE 7. At the start of such further turning movement of gear 37 the seal strips and the flanges of the louver sashes are placed under increased pressure and are further slightly deflected, at which point the pin 32 passes beyond the vertex `of slot 34 into the inner arm thereof. At that time, the seal strips and the sash bars of the louvers, being under tension, exert a spring action effective for cracking the louvers open and facilitating passage of pin 32 beyond the vertex of slot 34. In the continued clockwise turning of gear 37 the operating arm 28 is swung downward to its position shown in FIGURE 7, thereby swinging the louvers to fully opened position. Turning of gear 37 one half of a revolution from its position shown in FIGURE 7 swings the operating lever 2S upward to its raised position of FIGURE 4, thereby returing the louvers to fully closed and sealed positions, with the pin 32 at the vertex of slot 31, as shown. As will be understood from what has been said, the louvers may be fully opened and closed by turning the crank 40 and thereby turning gear 37 through one complete revolution in either direction, and may be adjusted to any desired position between fully opened and closed positions by turning gear 37 in proper direction to appropriate extent.

Accordingly, there is no dead stop position of the louvers which precludes turning Iof gear 37 through a full revolution in either direction and it is not necessary to exert particular care in turning of crank 40 so as to avoid possible damage to the window structure. Also, the arms of the slot 31 provide camming surfaces which, in cooperation with pin 32, accelerate the opening and closing movements of the louvers relative to the rate of movement of lever 28, which facilitates opening and closing yof the louvers.

The modified form of my invention shown in FIG- URES 8 and 9 is similar to that shown in FIGURES 1 to 7, inclusive, and, in general, the same reference numbers have been used, some with exponents, certain new ref- Cir erence numbers being used to indicate parts not present in FIGURES l to 7, inclusive. In the form of FIGURES 8 and 9, the bottom member or sill 3a of the window frame is of increased depthV and has mounted therein a gear box 43 in which is rotatably mounted a worrn 44 meshing with a gear 45 rotatably mounted in the gear box in underlying relation to worm 44. Gear 45 is provided at one face thereof with a pinion 46 which meshes with a gear 47 fixed on a drive shaft 48 rotatably mounted in gear box 43 and extending into the side jambs 4. An arm 49 is fixed on each end of shaft 48 and is pivoted by a pin 5t) to the lower end of a link 51 the upper end of which is pivoted at 52 to an operating lever 28 having pin and slot connection to an operating bar 22. As will be understood, an operating bar 22 is provided in each of the side members or jambs 4 of the window frame and such bars are connected to arms secured on the ends of the cross rods 10, as before. In FIGURE 9 the operating levers 28 are in fully raised position and the louvers are fully closed as shown in full lines in FIGURE 8. Assuming that the louvers have been closed by turning gear 47 in clockwise direction, as viewed in FIGURE 9, they may be fully opened `by turning gear 47 clockwise through approximately one-half of a revolution thereby swinging the operating louvers 28 upward to their opened positions indicated in broken lines in FIGURE 9. The operation is essentially the same as that in the form of my invention disclosed in FIGURES 1 to 7, inclusive, as will be understood. The operating means of FIGURES 8 and 9 is preferred for louvers of substantial size and weight, the provision of the operating means at both sides of the window frame being preferable as guarding against possible binding of parts.

As above indicated, and as will be understood, changes in detail may be resorted to without departing from the eld and scope of my invention, and I intend to include all such variations, as fall within the scope of the appended claims, in this application in which the preferred formsV only of my invention have been disclosed.

I claim:

1. In louver type window operating means, a window frame having top and bo-ttom members and hollow side jambs, a plurality of louvers extending between said jambs and pivoted thereon for turning movement to open and closed positions, an operating bar mounted in one of said jambs for vertical movement, operating connections between said bar and said louvers, an operating lever in said one jamb pivoted thereto at one end for vertical swinging movement and extending inwards of said one jamb across said bar, said lever having in its inner portion a slot of approximately attened inverted V- shape and said bar having a pin secured thereto and extending through said slot, a gear mounted on said frame for rotation about a horizontal axis, rneans for rotating said gear, and operating connections between said gear and said operating lever comprising a link pivoted at its upper end to said lever Iadjacent the inner end of said slot and having pivotal connection a-t its lower end to said gear effective for reciprocating said link incident to rotation of said gear, said pin and slot being so related that when said gear is in one rotary position the louvers are fully closed with said pin in the outer larm of said slot adjacent the vertex thereof, when said gear is turned from said one position in one direction through approximately one half of a revolution to a second rotary positi-on said pin passes over the vertex of said slot into the inner arm thereof and said louvers are fully opened, and when said gear is turned in said one direction from said second position through approximately one half of a revolution it is returned to its said one position and the louvers are again fully closed.

2. Louver type window operating means as defined in claim 1 and in which the operating connections between said bar and said louvers comprise cross rods xed to the tops of said louvers and arms fixed on the ends of said rods and pivoted to said bar.

3. Louver type window operating means as dened Ain claim 2 and in which said gear is mounted in said one jamb and said link is pivoted at its lower end to said gear.

4. Louver type window operating means as defined in claim 1 and in which the arms of Said slot provide cam surfaces cooperating with said pin for accelerating the closing and opening movements of said Iouvers relative to the rate of movement of said operating lever.

5. Louver type window operating means as defined in claim 2 and in which an operating bar is mounted in each of the side jambs.

6. Louvertype window operating means as defined in claim 5 andin which said gear is mounted on t-he bottom member of the window frame and is fixed on a coaxial shaft extending into said jambs and links are pivotally connected at their ends to the ends of said shaft and are pivoted at their upper ends to operating levers having pin and slot connections to said operating bars.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,731,683 1/1956 Stoltz 49--85 2,758,834 8/ 1956 Sanford et al. 49-82 2,952,882 9/ 1960 Reynaud 49-85 X FOREIGN PATENTS 127,050 3/ 1948 Australia. 131,062 1/ 1949 Australia.

DAVID I. WILLIAMOWSKY, Primary Examiner. J. K. BELL, Examiner. 

1. IN LOUVER TYPE WINDOW OPERATING MEANS, A WINDOW FRAME HAVING TOP AND BOTTOM MEMBERS AND HOLLOW SIDE JAMBS, A PLURALITY OF LOUVERS EXTENDING BETWEEN SAID JAMBS AND PIVOTED THEREON FOR TURNING MOVEMENT TO OPEN AND CLOSED POSTIONS, AN OPERATING BAR MOUNTED IN ONE OF SAID JAMBS FOR VERTICAL MOVEMENT, OPERATING CONNECTIONS BETWEEN SAID BAR AND SAID LOUVERS, AN OPERATING LEVER IN SAID ON JAMB PIVOTED THERETO AT ONE END FOR VERTICAL SWINGING MOVEMENT AND EXTENDING INWARDS OF SAID ONE JAMB ACROSS SAID BAR, SAID LEVER HAVING IN ITS INNER PORTION A SLOT OF APPROXIMATELY FLATTENED INVERTED VSHAPE AND SAID BAR HAVING A PIN SECURED THERETO AND EXTENDING THROUGH SAID SLOT, A GEAR MOUNTED ON SAID FRAME FOR ROTATION ABOUT A HORIZONTAL AXIS, MEANS FOR ROTATING SAID GEAR, AND OPERATIONG CONNECTIONS BETWEEN SAID GEAR AND SAID OPERATING LEVER COMPRISING A LINK END OF SAID ITS UPPER END TO SAID LEVER ADJACENT THE INNER END OF SAID SLOT AND HAVING PIVOTAL CONNECTION AT ITS LOWER END TO SAID GEAR EFFECTIVE FOR RECIPROCATING SAID LINK INCIDENT TO ROTATION OF SAID GEAR, SAID PIN AND SLOT BEING SO RELATED THAT WHEN SAID GEAR IS IN ONE ROTARY POSITION THE LOUVERS AND FULLY COLSED WITH SAID PIN IN THE OUTER ARM OF SAID SLOT ADJACENT THE VERTEX THEREOF, WHEN SAID GEAR IS TURNED FROM SAID ONE POSITION IN ONE DIRECTION THROUGH APPROXIMATELY ONE HALF OF A REVOLUTION TO A SECOND ROTARY POSITION SAID PIN PASSES OVER THE VERTEX OF SAID SLOT INTO THE INNER ARM THEREOF AND SAID LOUVERS ARE FULLY OPENED, AND WHEN SAID GEAR IS TURNED IN SAID ONE DIRECTION FROM SAID SECOND POSITION THROUGH APPROXIMATELY ONE HALF OF A REVOLUTION IT IS RETURNED TO ITS SAID ONE POSITION AND THE LOUVERS ARE AGAIN FULLY CLOSED. 